Bofuri (The Strongest Shield Of Tensura)

Night fell over the castle, blanketing the surroundings in a heavy stillness that was only broken by the occasional patrol of guards. Kaede lay on her bed, staring at the dark ceiling.

She glanced over at Kirara, who had finally drifted off, her breaths steady and soft. Kaede couldn't help but envy her ability to fall asleep so easily, even in a situation like this.

Kaede's fingers twitched against the blanket. She whispered softly, "Alright Artificia, is it ready?"

"Then let's go." Kaede got off her bed, already dressed in her armour.

[Cover Move]

She instantly vanished in a transparent flash of light.

Kaede materialized in a small, moonlit clearing in the Forest of Jura, her shield arm raised instinctively as she scanned her surroundings. The soft rustling of leaves and distant chirps of nocturnal creatures greeted her, but no immediate threats. She lowered her arm, taking a moment to steady her breath.

"Acer," she whispered, her eyes searching the underbrush.

A faint hum echoed through the clearing, followed by a rustle of leaves as Acer emerged from behind Kaede herself. Acer's glowing eyes brightened at the sight of her, and its vines stretched toward her in what seemed like a gesture of relief.

Kaede knelt, placing a hand on one of Acer's vines. "Good girl. You stayed put, just like I asked." She smiled faintly. "Were you spotted?"

Acer suddenly frowned and her vine arm pointed at a tree a few feet away.

Laying in the lowest branch of the tree, was a familiar ogre, his black horn somehow gleaming under the moon glow.

Kaede froze, her hand still resting on Acer's vine as her gaze locked onto the ogre. He sat perched on the branch with an unsettling ease, his crimson eyes gleaming like embers in the shadows. His purple skin and black horn seemed to blend into the night, but there was no mistaking the bandit that had her riled up a day ago.

"You're quick," the ogre said, his deep voice cutting through the stillness. " She said you would show up tonight, however, I didn't expect you to teleport. And yet you're no sorcerer."

Kaede's hand instinctively moved toward her shield, her eyes narrowing. "I thought you weren't keen on staying here long."

The ogre smirked, his fangs catching the light. "Of course, if we had fought anywhere but here, then I would be all too eager to leave. This forest, though... this is home." He leaned forward slightly, trying to look imposing. "And you've wandered right into it, girl."

Kaede didn't flinch, though her mind raced. If this ogre had tracked Acer—or worse, been aware of its presence the entire time—it meant he was far more dangerous than she'd initially assumed.

"What do you want?" she asked evenly, keeping her voice calm.

The ogre chuckled, low and gravelly. "It's actually quite simple. You're different, from all the others. Not many humans do something like that." He gestured toward Acer, who emitted a low warning hum, its vines subtly shifting into a defensive stance.

Kaede looked confused, but shook her head slightly, clearing her mind. "Who are you by the way?"

The ogre seemed to think for a moment. "I... Have no name."

Kaede stepped back. "W-What?"

The ogre smiled. "That's why you're interesting. Humans and monsters don't tend to mix very well. But here you are with a monster. You even named her. Now she's a named monster."

Kaede froze. "That word again, what does it mean? A named monster."

The ogre tilted his head, a glimmer of curiosity in his crimson eyes. "You really don't know?" His tone was laced with both amusement and disbelief. "Naming a monster is more than just calling them something cute, girl. It's a gift of power. The stronger the name-giver, the stronger the monster becomes."

Kaede's gaze flickered to Acer, who remained still but hummed faintly in response. "A... gift of power? But I didn't do anything like that. I just... named her."

The ogre's smirk widened, his sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight. "That's the thing. Naming takes something out of the giver. If you didn't notice, it means you're stronger than you look."

Kaede frowned, her fingers curling tighter around her shield strap, remembering how her exhaustion suddenly grew tenfold after she had named Acer.

"She called you mom." The ogre crossed his arms, leaning back against the tree trunk. "She trusts you."

"Mom?" She glanced at Acer, whose glowing eyes met hers, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. 'I just realized, I only ever referred to Acer as 'it' but if this ogre can understand her, then she's a person now. She thinks of me as a mom. I'm a mom now.'

"Let's get back to why you're here," the ogre said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "You didn't just wander into the forest by accident. So tell me, why are you skulking around in the dead of night?"

Kaede hesitated. Revealing too much could be dangerous, but lying wasn't an option either. Not with someone who seemed to see through her so easily.

"I needed a place to regroup," she said carefully. "Somewhere safe, where I wouldn't be found."

The ogre's gaze bore into her, and for a moment, Kaede wondered if he was about to call her bluff. But instead, he snorted. "Safe? In the Forest of Jura? You've got guts, I'll give you that."

"I don't exactly have a choice," Kaede shot back, her tone firm.

The ogre chuckled, pushing off the tree. "Fair enough. But here's the thing—this forest isn't just some hideaway for fugitives. It's full of dangers, some even stronger than me."

Kaede's grip on her shield tightened. "And you're saying?"

The ogre's smirk returned, this time with an edge of danger. "Let's just say I've got a history with this place. But I'm not your enemy. Not yet, anyway."

Kaede's brow furrowed. "Then why are you here? Why wait for me?"

The ogre's expression shifted, his crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dark. "Because..." His demeanour suddenly changed, his oppressive aura disappearing. "I need your help."

The sudden change, threw Kaede for a loop. "Wha... What was that? What do you need me for?"

Kaede studied the ogre's expression, his earlier cocky demeanor now replaced by something far heavier. His gaze flicked away, as though gathering his thoughts. She didn't press him, sensing that whatever he was about to share wasn't easy for him to say.

"I wasn't always... like this," the ogre began, his voice quieter now. "I used to have a clan. A family." He paused, as though the words themselves carried weight. "But I lost that long ago."

Kaede tilted her head slightly, her curiosity piqued. "What happened?"

The ogre gave her a wry smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "That's not something I'm ready to tell. Not yet, anyway." He sighed, leaning back against the tree trunk. "Let's just say... I was cast out. Banished."

Kaede nodded slowly, deciding not to push him further on that point. "So, you've been on your own since then?"

"For a while, yeah. And let me tell you, it's not easy being a monster without a home. Every day was a struggle just to survive." His crimson eyes dimmed slightly, a flicker of vulnerability breaking through his tough exterior. "I went through weeks of starvation, hiding from stronger creatures and humans alike."

Kaede's grip on her shield relaxed, her expression softening. Despite his imposing appearance, she could see now that there was more to him than she had initially assumed.

"But then, I got lucky," he continued, his voice gaining a bit of warmth. "A group of farmers found me. I was barely hanging on at that point, but they didn't care that I was a monster. They nursed me back to health, gave me food, shelter... kindness."

Kaede's eyes widened slightly. "Humans helped you? Even knowing what you were?"

He nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Not all humans are bad, I learned that the hard way. These people… they were just trying to survive themselves. They didn't have much, but they still shared it with me."

Kaede felt a pang in her chest at the thought. "What happened to them?"

The ogre's expression darkened. "Falmuth happened. The kingdom's taxes were crushing them, bleeding them dry. Little by little, they were forced to leave the country—those who could, anyway. Some risked starvation just to get away. The ones who stayed…" He trailed off, his fists clenching.

Kaede frowned, her thoughts racing. She'd heard whispers of Falmuth's harsh rule, but hearing it from someone who had lived through its effects made it all the more real. Especially considering the area of the country she and the otherworlders lived in was completely different from what he described.

"I couldn't just stand by and let that happen," the ogre said, his voice gaining an edge. "They saved me when no one else would. They gave me a second chance. So, when they left Falmuth, I went with them. I vowed to protect them, no matter what."

Kaede's gaze softened. "So you became their protector?"

"Yeah," he said simply, then hesitated before adding, "But it wasn't enough. More people joined us—farmers, peasants, people who'd been pushed to the brink by Falmuth's rule. They needed food, supplies, a way to survive. And... that's when we started stealing."

Kaede's eyebrows rose slightly. "Stealing? From Falmuth?"

The ogre nodded, his expression hardening. "They didn't have a choice. They took only what we needed and only from the kingdom that had driven them to this. I know it's not exactly noble, but if it meant keeping those people alive, I'd do it again."

Kaede stared at him for a moment, processing everything he'd said. She couldn't help but feel a strange mix of admiration and understanding. "So, you're not just a bandit. You're... leading a group of refugees."

"Refugees that are now prisoners in Falmuth's dungeon. They took the children too." The ogre sighed, though his fist gripped tighter.

"The reason why the third camp was larger." Kaede realized. "The other two camps had the people capable of fighting, the third one was for everyone else. That's why it was so easy to take down. There weren't many fighters, just, women and children."

Kaede's breath hitched at the revelation, her mind racing. She recalled the camp—the eerie stillness, the lack of resistance. It hadn't struck her at the time just how vulnerable the people there had been.

"Falmuth took them?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She clenched her fists, anger bubbling up inside her. "Even the children?"

The ogre's eyes darkened, his usual smirk replaced by a grim frown. "Yeah. I'm not really sure they care that much."

Kaede looked away, biting her lip.

"That's why I'm here," the ogre continued, his voice rough but steady. "They wanted me to escape... but I need to get them out. I don't care what it takes."

Kaede glanced back at him, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. "You're asking for my help."

The ogre nodded. "You're strong. Stronger than most humans I've seen." He motioned toward Acer, who let out a low hum of acknowledgment. "You care about more than just yourself. I can see it in your eyes. That's why I waited for you."

Kaede hesitated, the weight of his words settling over her. She had already seen firsthand how cruel Falmuth could be. The otherworlders for example. The people in that dungeon didn't deserve this, least of all the children. But getting involved would mean drawing even more attention to herself—attention she couldn't afford.

"I..." she started, her voice faltering.

The ogre fell on his knees his crimson eyes blazing with determination. "I don't care what you ask of me. Please help me, and I'll serve you for as long as i live."

Kaede swallowed hard, her mind racing. She thought of Kirara, still sleeping soundly back at the castle, blissfully unaware of what was happening outside these walls. She thought of Acer, who had trusted her without question.

Not again.

Her grip on her shield tightened, and she straightened her posture, her resolve hardening. "Alright," she said finally. "I'll help you."

The ogre's eyes widened slightly, as if he hadn't fully expected her to agree. But then his lips curled into a genuine, relieved smile. "Thank you."

"But," Kaede added, holding up a finger, "we do this on my terms. No unnecessary risks. We get in, we get them out, and we leave. Understood?"

The ogre chuckled, his smirk returning. "Fair enough. Now what was it you really came here for specifically."

Kaede blinked, caught off guard by the question. Then she glanced at Acer, whose glowing eyes watched her intently. "I'm looking for Veldora."